ARTS >Dolmabahçe Palace gallery opens Islamic art exhibition

New exhibtion titled ‘Sacred Journey’ at the Dolmabahçe Art Gallery features 31 works from 26 artists in 17 countries.AA photo

A new exhibition featuring Islamic themes has opened at the Dolmabahçe Art Gallery with 31 works from 26 artists in 17 countries.

The “Mukaddes Yolculuk” (Sacred Journey) exhibition, which was opened July 13 by Saudi Arabian Education Minister Prince Faysal Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed al-Saud, presents works interpreting the al-Aqsa Mosque, the Kaaba and Medina’s al-Masjid an-Nabawi, which is often known as the Prophet’s Mosque.

Opening the exhibition with a speech, al-Saud highlighted the significance of the three holy shrines’ connection with art.

“It is an important period of time for Muslims [with the holy month of Ramadan beginning July 20]; we opened an exhibition about the places that the Islamic World cared about. The works are a combination of modern and traditional art. These kinds of exhibitions help us realize the similarities between cultures while empowering bonds,” he said.

“Today we are together in Istanbul, which has an interaction with art. We see the various works of Sinan the Architect in different places. Architectural development led to scientific development,” the prince said.

The exhibition also features videos providing information on the artists and the paintings.In addition to al-Saud, Turkish Education Minister Ömer Dinçer; Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the general secretary of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation; Erşat Hürmüzlü, the president’s chief Middle East adviser; as well as Kemal Öztürk, the board chairman of Anatolian news agency, also attended the opening of the event, which is being organized by the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture.